Geography 324

Urban Geography: Internal City Patterns

Fall l997

Objectives: This course introduces students to patterns and activities found within metropolitan areas. Emphasis will be placed on land use patterns and social/economic diversity.

Contemporary trends are also emphasized.

Course Description: Introduction to urban North American land use and social activities. Theories of internal urban patterns, present patterns, and implications for the future. Housing patterns, commercial and industrial activities, urban transportation, political fragmentation, and the potential role of urban planners.

Instructor: Dr. H.W. Bullamore

309 Dunkle Hall, 687-44l3

Office Hours: 10:00-12:00 MWF and 11:00-12:00 TR

Text: Truman A. Hartshorn, Interpreting the City. 2nd Edition. Additional readings may be assigned.

Evaluation:

25% First Midterm (Oct. 2)

25% Second Midterm (Nov. 11)

25% Final Exam (8:00 a.m., Monday, December 15)

5% Book Review (due Oct. 21)

15% Project (due Dec. 4)

5% Field Trip (Oct. 23)

All three exams will be primarily short answer/essay. A few objective questions will be included. All exams will be curved.

Each student must prepare a 3-4 page typewritten book review (between 500-900 words) on a book selected by the student on a topic related to internal city patterns. Prior approval of the book by the instructor is advised, but not required. This is to be a critical review, not a summary. See attached materials on reviewing.

Each student must complete a census profile of a U.S. metropolitan area. Each report shall include at least two census tract based choropleth maps of the entire metropolitan area. Text is to be between 2,000 and 4,000 words.

Class participation, field trip attendance, insights gained from homework assignments, and other non-evaluated work may also affect course grade. The final course grade represents the average of exams, papers, and review.

The field trip will be held Thursday, October 23. The class will journey to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania metropolitan region. This is intended to be an enjoyable, observation-oriented trip. Specific objectives include:

1. university as a growth point/high tech

2. Alleghany neighborhood renewal/gentrification

3. Gold Triangle/CBD renewal

4. East European ethnic neighborhood

5. Industrial landscape of steel

This will be an all day trip leaving at 6:30 a.m. and returning in the evening. This is an optional trip. I will provide documentation for other instructors as required. Students not attending the field trip for any reason will have the value of the project increased from 15% to 20% of the course grade. For trip attendees, the Field Trip 5% will be assigned a grade of A.

Policies:

Students are expected to attend each class. A student with four or more absences (for any reason) will suffer loss of letter grade.

Academic honesty is expected in all matters relating to this course. Please consult Pathfinder, p. 10. Academic dishonesty will lead to course failure.

Part I: Land Use Theory

Sept. 2 Images of the City Chap. l0

Sept. 4 Urban Concepts (p. 3-5)

Sept. 9 Land Use Patterns & Theory Chap. 11

Sept. 11 Models of Land Use

Sept. 16 Alternative Models

Sept. 18 Housing Markets Chap. 12

Sept. 23 Inner City and Suburban Neighborhoods

Sept. 25 Social Area Analysis

Sept. 30 Filtering, Gentrification and Housing Policy

Oct. 2 Exam I

Part II: Urban Change

Oct. 7 Immigration and Ethnicity Chap. 13

Oct. 9 Ghetto and Slum Development

Oct. 14 Dual Housing Markets

Oct. 16 Field Trip for another course - No class

Oct. 21 Residential Mobility Chap. 14

Oct. 23 Field Trip for GEOG 324

Oct. 28 Housing Consumers

Oct. 30 Residential Choice

Nov. 4 Central Business District Trends Chap. 15

Nov. 6 CBD Revitalization

Nov. 11 Exam II

Part III: Urban Futures

Nov. 13 Metropolitan Retail Structure Chap. 16

Nov. 18 Suburban Shopping Centers

Nov. 20 New Office Landscape Chap. 17

Nov. 25 Suburban "Downtowns"?

Dec. 2 Changing Industrial Location Trends Chap. l8

Dec. 4 Planned Industrial Zones

Dec. 9 Urban Planning Chap. 19

Dec. 11 Political Fragmentation

Dec. 15 Final Exam (8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., Monday)